"War on the Rocks" best war movie list

[Tripoli]

War on the Rocks just published an article on their best (and worst) war movies.  The article is here:
https://warontherocks.com/2023/08/strategic-outpost-goes-to-the-movies/?__s=xlwaqxfp3j5d8o2leqan
To summarize:

Best Movies (in no order)

• Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964)
• Restrepo (2010)
  
• Greyhound (2020)
• The Hunt for Red October (1990)
• Twelve O'Clock High (1949)
• Apocalypse Now (1979).
• The Best Years of Our Lives (1946).
• The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957).
• Dunkirk (2017)
• All Quiet on the Western Front (1930, 2022).
• Top Gun (1986) and Top Gun: Maverick (2022).

Worst Movies:

• Pearl Harbor (2001)
• Battleship (2012)
• Starship Troopers (1997)
• The Hurt Locker (2008)

While I don't disagree with the list, IMHO, there is a huge gap in the list in that it didn't mention Gettysburg, Glory, or "Winds of War/War and Remembrance" (which is admittedly a TV miniseries, and not a movie, but still....)

[JasonPratt]

I can sorrrrt of understand them neglecting the Gods and Generals / Gettysburg duology, for political controversy, but not Glory? Oh well, lots and lots and lots of good war movies.

I for one enjoy "Pearl Harbor" and for that matter the recent "Midway" pseudo-sequel remake a lot -- they're no more ridiculous than "Battle of the Bulge", which I also enjoy more than I suppose I should. And "The Beast" for that matter.

[Tripoli]

I can sorrrrt of understand them neglecting the Gods and Generals / Gettysburg duology, for political controversy, but not Glory? Oh well, lots and lots and lots of good war movies.

I for one enjoy "Pearl Harbor" and for that matter the recent "Midway" pseudo-sequel remake a lot -- they're no more ridiculous than "Battle of the Bulge", which I also enjoy more than I suppose I should. And "The Beast" for that matter.

Midway was pretty good, but I agree it wasn't a great war movie.  It was more on the order of "Battle of Britain" or "The Longest Day", in that it is required watching, but it isn't thought provoking, inspiring or otherwise gives an unusual perspective.  One thought: Should the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy (extended version, of course) be considered a war movie? After all, they have "Starship Troopers" on the list. If so, it should also be on the list and near the top.

[JasonPratt]

Oh, yeah, didn't even notice Starship Troopers. I don't regard that as being "worst" of anything (nor the best, just entertaining in some ways); but as a "war movie" that opens up a LOT of potential. Including the Starship Troopers anime series, which was much closer to codex, so to speak.

On balance, I'd say StarTroop has more claim to being a war movie per se, than LotR (extended or otherwise) which I'd consider more of a film with war topics and scenes. Sort of like the recent "Dune" duology.

[Sir Slash]

I believe there was a poll of top war films not long after LOTR's came out that picked it as the favorite war movie amongst the voters and yes, I think it's definitely as war movie especially the second and third films. The Raid was also one of my favs that wasn't listed along with the HBO series, Band of Brothers and The Pacific. Glory would probably be my all-time favorite for historical accuracy and just plain-old entertainment. Many I'm sure I have forgotten about. 

[SirAndrewD]

A best war movies list without Paths of Glory, Waterloo, Das Boot or Come and See?

[CptHowdy]

platoon, casualties of war, we were soldiers, heartbreak ridge, full metal jacket

[Tripoli]

I notice no one is disagreeing with "Pearl Harbor" being on the "worst movie" list 

[Gusington]

Pearl Harbor is schlock of the first order.

Agree with CptHowdy - how are Full Metal Jacket and Platoon not on there??

[ArizonaTank]

I don't really think "Red October" and "Dr. Strangelove" are "war movies" but I agree they are very good (except the part where Sean Connery tries to speak Russian). I think of them more as techno thrillers or generic military movies...but I concede there is combat in both of them. 

Top Gun '86 is basically a music video with some other bits thrown in to fill up the time...IMHO.

I've always considered that Starship Troopers had its tongue firmly planted in its cheek...and in that light bends toward..."goodish".

In agreement on Pearl Harbor...I still have not been able to watch it all...I always have an urge to lose my lunch watching it overuse the Vaseline Lens effect.

What have they got against "Hurt Locker?"

[Gusington]

^Yeah agreed on Top Gun and I also noticed Hurt Locker...weird.

[Grim.Reaper]

Geesh, Patton didn't even make the list.  Although I enjoyed many on the list, not sure I agree with them all being considered at the top of my own list.

[al_infierno]

A best war movies list without Paths of Glory, Waterloo, Das Boot or Come and See?

This.  Also, The Thin Red Line deserves a spot on the list.

Starship Troopers being on the "worst" list makes me raise an eyebrow. It's not really a war movie so much as an over-the-top satire.

And yeah, Top Gun?  That's gonna be a nah dawg from me.  I'll die on the hill that Top Gun is a terrible movie that only endures because of pop culture nostalgia.

[Gusington]

I wouldn't go that far, I love me some Top Gun.

That said, it should not be on the list...especially in lieu of Platoon and Full Metal Jacket.

FIGHT!!

[SirAndrewD]

I wouldn't go that far, I love me some Top Gun.

That said, it should not be on the list...especially in lieu of Platoon and Full Metal Jacket.

FIGHT!!

I don't think anyone's going to fight you over that.

I'd hesitate to call either Top Gun "war" movies.  I say that having quite liked Maverick.